Tag: 2016

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to make sex and relationships education compulsory in all schools.

    Edward Timpson

    We want schools to provide all young people with a curriculum that equips them for success in adult life. High-quality sex and relationship education (SRE) and personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education have a vital role to play in this.

    SRE is compulsory in maintained secondary schools. Academies and free schools do not have to teach SRE, but many choose to do so as part of their statutory duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum.

    When teaching SRE, all schools, including academies through their funding agreement, must have regard to the Secretary of State’s Sex and Relationship Education guidance. The existing SRE guidance was last updated in 2000. We have received requests about updating the guidance which we will consider carefully.

    Schools and teachers have the freedom to design lessons that meet their pupils’ needs, taking account of pupil and parent views. Teachers are encouraged to develop their practice with the support of specialist organisations and expert professionals. Many of these specialist organisations have produced resources that can be used and adapted by schools.

    We hold regular meetings with Ofsted about a range of matters. As the Secretary of State said at the Education Select Committee hearing in September 2016, we need to look again at how schools deliver high-quality PSHE, including SRE. We are considering all the options, including the need for any statutory powers, and will come to a view soon.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of (a) morale in the teaching profession, (b) long-term prospects for teacher recruitment and retention and (c) the potential effect of increases in pupil numbers on (i) morale and (ii) recruitment and retention in that profession.

    Nick Gibb

    Teaching continues to be a popular career choice. The Government is working with the profession to raise the status of teaching and is attracting the brightest and best to a career in the classroom, with the result that record numbers of highly-qualified graduates and experienced career changes are now teaching in schools.

    On retention, latest statistics (School Workforce Census, November 2014) show that teacher retention one year after qualifying has remained stable, at around 90 per cent, for the past two decades. In addition, 72 per cent of those who qualified in 2009 were still in teaching five years later and the long-term retention rate is also stable, with over 60 per cent of teachers remaining in the classroom 10 years after qualifying.

    The Department for Education is continually working to grow a strong pipeline of teachers and has developed a package of measures to support both the recruitment of new trainees (who account for around a half of all new entrants to the state-funded sector each year) and the retention of existing teachers.

    Latest figures show there are a record number of teachers, with a record number coming back to the profession. The Initial Teacher Training census, published in November 2015, shows that three per cent more people started postgraduate teacher training than in the previous year. We recognise, however, that as the economy improves and the labour market strengthens, teacher recruitment is becoming increasingly challenging for some schools – particularly in some areas of the country and in some shortage subjects. That is why we are offering a range of bursaries and scholarships worth up to £30,000 tax-free to trainees in 2016/17. In addition, we are launching the National Teacher Service, as well as expanding the Teach First and School Direct programmes which will mean more great teachers in every corner of the country.

    In terms of the long term recruitment of teachers, we use the Teacher Supply Model (TSM) to estimate Initial Teacher Training place requirements in England each year to meet the state-funded sector demand for qualified teachers. Forecasts are related to a range of factors including year-on-year pupil population growth rates, teacher leaving rates, and curriculum changes.

    The 2016/17 version of the TSM, which was used to inform the 2016/17 ITT recruitment process, along with a user guide explaining the methodology in detail, is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-supply-model

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  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Jobcentre Plus advisers were employed in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013, (e) 2014 and (f) 2015.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested is shown in the table below.

    Year

    Number of Advisers Employed by Jobcentre Plus

    2010/11

    11,978

    2011/12

    12,018

    2012/13

    13,244

    2013/14

    12,978

    2014/15

    11,685
  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s wellness strategy is.

    Mark Lancaster

    A new Health and Wellbeing Strategy for all Ministry of Defence (MOD) employees was published in mid-2015 and is designed to provide guidance to the Chain of Command and civilian line managers on how to manage the health needs of their people.

    The aim is to maximise the number of people fit to work, managing people back to work after a period of sickness, so that they are fit and able to meet the requirements of Defence outputs, including operational effectiveness.

    The strategy applies to all Defence People and not just Service personnel for whom maintaining health, wellbeing and fitness is a major contributor to the moral and physical components of fighting power. Although there are differences in the Terms and Conditions of Service and requirements placed on civilian and military workforces, all people working in Defence have a role to play in contributing to Defence outputs.

    The Health and Wellbeing Strategy has four pillars: Lifestyle, Injury prevention, Preventative health and, Mental health. It is a through-life process that sets the conditions to allow people to Join, Train, Work, Live and Leave well.

  • Andrew Bingham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Bingham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bingham on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) assistant, (b) athletics, (c) level one, (d) level two, (e) level three and (f) level four coaches have been licensed to coach athletics in each of the last five years.

    David Evennett

    The Government and its Arm’s Length Bodies have helped deliver a strong sporting legacy from London 2012, including 1.65 million more people playing sport regularly than when London won the bid for the Games back in 2005. We have recently published our new sport strategy, ‘Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation‘ setting out government’s ambitions for a more active nation.

    The number of licensed assistant coaches was 963 in 2011; 1809 in 2012; 2298 in 2013; 2513 in 2014; and 3010 in 2015.

    The number of licensed athletics coaches was 137 in 2011; 271 in 2012; 381 in 2013; 489 in 2014; and 789 in 2015.

    The number of level 1 licensed coaches was 3200 in 2011; 2596 in 2012; 1761 in 2013; 1336 in 2014; and 1125 in 2015.

    The number of level 2 licensed coaches was 2928 in 2011; 3002 in 2012; 2775 in 2013; 2347 in 2014; and 2249 in 2015.

    The number of level 3 licensed coaches was 1124 in 2011; 1173 in 2012; 1134 in 2013; 1033 in 2014; and 1026 in 2015.

    The number of level 4 licensed coaches was 351 in 2011; 360 in 2012; 342 in 2013; 320 in 2014; and 312 in 2015.

    Licensed coaches are those who have passed an England Athletics’ qualification and currently have a valid Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check in order to be able to teach under 18s. Unlicensed, or qualified, coaches can still coach adults at athletics clubs, and the number of these coaches has risen in the past five years:

    The number of qualified assistant coaches was 478 in 2011; 791 in 2012; 1458 in 2013; 2473 in 2014; and 2908 in 2015.

    The number of qualified athletics coaches was 8 in 2011; 13 in 2012; 59 in 2013; 110 in 2014; and 121 in 2015.

    The number of level 1 qualified coaches was 14977 in 2011; 16571 in 2012; 17301 in 2013; 17668 in 2014; and 17869 in 2015.

    The number of level 2 qualified coaches was 3727 in 2011; 3938 in 2012; 4172 in 2013; 4612 in 2014; and 4779 in 2015.

    The number of level 3 qualified coaches was 909 in 2011; 901 in 2012; 941 in 2013; 1029 in 2014; and 1038 in 2015.

    The number of level 4 qualified coaches was 195 in 2011; 205 in 2012; 215 in 2013; 231 in 2014; and 229 in 2015.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department arising from application of the under-occupancy penalty in each of the last three financial years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The estimated savings from the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy policy in each of the last three financial years is as follows:

    • £490 million in 2013/14;
    • £525 million in 2014/15; and
    • £560 million in 2015/16.
  • Karin Smyth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Karin Smyth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families in (a) Bristol South constituency and (b) England have re-applied for child benefit for a young person following that person’s dropping out of an apprenticeship.

    Damian Hinds

    The information is not available.

  • Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people who were affected by the recent server issue affecting the universal credit portal; and if he will make a statement.

    Damian Hinds

    Whenever a service problem is identified the Department always prioritises claimants first ensuring their payments are not interrupted. In this instance the outage impacted only 24 of the 712 Jobcentres across Great Britain and none of the claimants impacted experienced a delay in their payments.

    The performance of all systems is continuously monitored on many resilient servers and in the event of an outage an immediate impact assessment is made and appropriate action taken to ensure normal service is resumed at the earliest possible opportunity and the impact on claimants is minimised.

    We continually assess the performance of our suppliers, and underlying engineering, to ensure systems are available to meet the needs of claimants and the Department. With the exception of this isolated supplier outage the performance of the UC portal has been higher than expected, however, further improvements to resilience were already under active consideration as part of preparing for UC Full Service national expansion.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many single parent households there are in the UK.

    Chris Skidmore

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information the Government holds on the proportion of small businesses that have ceased trading after experiencing flood damage in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department does not hold specific information on the proportion of businesses, large or small, that have ceased trading after experiencing flood damage in the last five years.

    However following the flooding of Winter 2013/14, of the 4,859 businesses that were reported by Local Authorities as being impacted by flooding, only 3 businesses were reported as not fully operational by October 2015.